Butter King

Family: Asteraceae Leafy Green

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Butter King to a garden.

Sink your spoon into Butter King’s velvety, butter-soft leaves—an inviting, pale-gold green that feels luxuriously tender from the first bite.

Forming a full, rounded butterhead at about 65 days, it offers a mild, sweet flavor with a delicate, spoonable texture that shines in fresh salads and elegant platters, as well as in soothing sauces and quick pickling-style preparations.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 65 DaysHabit: Rosette

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Butter King Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Apr 27th	May 25th	Jul 29th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 19th – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 19th – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Apr 21st	May 19th	Jul 23rd – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Apr 17th	May 15th	Jul 19th – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Apr 15th	May 13th	Jul 17th – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Apr 10th	May 8th	Jul 12th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Apr 6th	May 4th	Jul 8th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Apr 3rd	May 1st	Jul 5th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 28th	Apr 25th	Jun 29th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 23rd	Apr 20th	Jun 24th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Mar 13th	Apr 10th	Jun 14th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Mar 4th	Apr 1st	Jun 5th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 23rd	Mar 23rd	May 27th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Feb 6th	Mar 6th	May 10th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Jan 12th	Feb 9th	Apr 15th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 10b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 11a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 11b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 12a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 12b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 13a	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th
Zone 13b	—	Oct 1st	Dec 5th – Feb 28th

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	65
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Rosette
Support Needed	None
Planting Depth	Surface
Germination Temp (°F)	70
Min Soil Temp (°F)	40
Min Night Temp (°F)	35
Harden Off (days)	6

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Butterhead lettuces like Butter King are built for tenderness—your best move is dressing and heat that respect the leaf. The pale-gold, spoonable texture makes it ideal for elegant platters and quick, gentle preparations rather than aggressive chopping or heavy cooking.

Best Uses

torn-leaf salads where the dressing clings without punching through the texture
butterhead cups for spooned toppings (caviar, crab salad, herbed ricotta)
quick pickling-style prep where the leaves stay supple instead of turning harsh
soothing, gently blended sauces (think warm cream or lemon-butter emulsions)

Flavor Profile

mild sweet, buttery leaf flavor velvety, spoonable tenderness light grassy snap with a clean finish

Kitchen Pairings

lemon olive oil butter black pepper goat cheese prosciutto

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if my Butter King plants get powdery mildew?

Powdery mildew shows up as a white, flour-like coating on Butter King leaves, usually starting mid-season in humid spells. Remove badly affected leaves early, improve airflow by thinning crowded stems, and spray a preventive-ready fungicide labeled for powdery mildew as soon as the first spots appear (follow label directions). Avoid overhead watering so leaf surfaces stay dry, and discard infected plant debris rather than composting it.

How often should I water Butter King during the main growth (about weeks 3–8)?

During active growth, keep soil evenly moist so the top 1–2 inches don’t dry out completely, which typically means watering about 1–2 times per week depending on heat and rainfall. Water deeply at each session to reach the root zone, then let the surface dry slightly before watering again. Inconsistent moisture is a common trigger for stress and poor development, so aim for a steady rhythm rather than frequent light sprinkles.

How can I tell when Butter King is ready to harvest at around 65 days?

Harvest when the pods/heads reach the variety’s typical size and look fully developed, with plants no longer producing new growth. For the best eating quality, pick during the cool part of the day and use the fruit promptly; if you wait until they look overgrown or begin to soften quickly, flavor can drop. If you’re unsure, pick one test sample at 65 days and check size and tenderness before harvesting the rest.